Patent filed by Uber for machine to tell if passengers are drunk

By

Susan McFarland

Uber has filed for a patent on a maching that will help drivers determine if a rider is drunk, something that could result in the rider being denied service. Photo by Will Oliver/EPA

June 12 (UPI) -- The ride-sharing company Uber has filed a patent application for a machine to help warn drivers about a drunken passenger and better match those inebriated to drivers with relevant training.

The patent application, filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and published recently, details the use of a machine that would use an algorithm to determine the state of a passenger by identifying unusual behavior.

CNN first spotted the patent application, which deals with technology that would hone in on typos, how precisely a user clicks on links and buttons, walking speed and how long it takes to request a ride. It would also consider the time of day and where a ride is requested.

If a passenger is deemed drunk, that person also might not be allowed to be part of a shared ride. Some riders may not be able to get service at all.

Uber is a safe way for an intoxicated person to get home, but many drivers do not want to deal with mishaps that accompany drunken riders, such as throwing up in the vehicle.

Also, the majority of sexual assault cases filed against drivers are from riders who had been drinking. During the past four years, 103 Uber drivers have been accused of sexual assault and in many of the cases, police reports note the passengers were drunk.